How to Save on Pet Related Expenses

Lomegakyo on 01/03/2016 - 23:23
Last edited 02/03/2016 - 10:30

Hello everyone, (first post here)

Just wondering how does other ozbargainers save on their pets. Im currently a uni student and I have a puppy and a rabbit. I always search for coupons and shops from all different websites as the price changes.

What i am doing for rabbit (mini lop over 1 yr old):
* bale of hay from local produce - $24 (last minimal 6 month)
* bag of veggies from coles -$2 (weekly)
* breeder's choice recycled paper -$23 (last minimal 6 months)
* plastic bags -$4 (monthly, can not use supermarket shopping bags as they are a bit small, using shopping bag to go over the litter tray so it allows easy cleaning everytime)
* online shopping for treats and toys -$40-$45 (above $40 = free shipping)
Total = approx $22 per month, not including vet/vaccine/etc

What i am doing for puppy (Aussie Shepherd from highly reputable breeder 14 weeks):

  • Insurance - $48 (monthly, rspca ultimate)
  • self-manage insurance -$100 (monthly)
  • Dry food, Blackhawk - $91 (20kg monthly)
  • fresh topside mince for dogs -$5.2 (weekly)
  • treats - $40 (monthly, flatulates due to whatever is on special)
  • toys - $20 (monthly)
  • grooming - $40 (last about 12 months)
    Total = approx $320 per month

Thanks in advance for all advices

***UPDATE: forgot flea, worm, tick treatment.
which is gonne cost around extra $25 a month, buying 12 packet sentinels and 6 pack nexgard from cheapest online store.

Food & Grocery

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 02/03/2016 - 00:05
    +21

    how does other ozbargainers save on their pets

    Pretty easy. Don't keep a pet.

  • RyanMK on 02/03/2016 - 00:09
    +5

    20kg dry kibble per month for a puppy?! And that's with feeding raw as well. What size puppy do you have?

    That's also quite a bit to be spending on treats per month. Maybe look into making some of your own treats. There are heaps of recipes online. Also, do bear in mind, not to overfeed your puppy.

    $20 per month for toys also seem excessive.

    I have a Welsh Pembroke Corgi.
    In terms of treats, he gets one/two dry biscuits a day.
    In terms of his daily meals, he gets dry kibble for breakfast (a 20kg bag of Blackhawk last him nearly 1.5 years). For dinner he gets fed raw meaty bones (chicken necks, frames, beef bones), sardines and raw eggs. For an example of cost, a $2 bag of chicken frames from the market lasts for about 5-7 meals.

    • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 08:51

      Aussie shepard, she is only 14 weeks now at 8.6kg, she will be grow around 20kg and the esitmated food is based on the back of the dry food packaging. The treats is mainly for obedience training which cost around 8-10 dollars a bag and last about two weeks each bag.

      • colson on 02/03/2016 - 12:14

        I do obedience training with kibble taken from my dog's daily recommended food (e.g. if I am doing training with her in the afternoon, I'll measure out however much in grams and subtract that from her dinner) with small amounts of other treats. Using treats all the time is an unnecessary cost, often high sodium and can cause obesity if not accounted for at meal time.

        • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 14:02

          i break the treats down to pea size which end up usually 20-40g per day

        • colson on 03/03/2016 - 08:12

          @omegakyo:

          That can be a huge amount of treats depending on what you're using. You should ask a vet or ask for advice at your local pet store.

      • konazz on 02/03/2016 - 12:22

        I have an Australian Koolie, similar size (slightly smaller by about 2kg), temperament etc. but short haired.

        Firstly, ditch BlackHawk… its not that good and made overseas. Look on http://www.petfoodreviews.com.au
        We went with Stay Loyal - made in Victoria and delivered to our place every 8 weeks for $105. Its holistic (fruit/veges etc.), grain free and good protein mix.
        http://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/dry-dog-food/stay-loyal-gra…
        We tried Blackhawk, Proplan (which made our dog very sick), and a few other premium choices. Naturs Choice or Applaws was decent but hard to get and not cheap. We could see a difference in stools between them (with proplan, we nearly ended up at the vet as he was that sick).
        Costco used to have a decent brand, but no longer sell it :( But we've been happy with Stay Loyal for about 6 months now, and a new bag is being delivered later this week - you can adjust when you need it. Even my brother's dog prefers it over her Earthborne Holistic dry.
        You'll find that the $/kg of the premium is much higher, but they need a lot less as there's no rubbish like corn in it.
        We supplement with duck/chicken eggs and a bit of gravy from dinner or a spoon of runny tinned food for some texture or chicken mince from the poultry wholesaler - maybe a chicken carcass to mix things up. Mince would do the trick as well, but chicken necks are ok as well.

        Toys - by once but buy right. Australian Shepherd = Kong Black! Don't bother with the red, as you'll be throwing away money… these dogs shred toys. Those thick ropes are pretty good as well. ChuckIt! Blue/Orange balls are fantastic. The rescue got me onto them and we've had ours for years and NO dog has been able to destroy it. Not cheap @ $15 a pop, but its good for exercising, as they float and are easily visible. Tennis balls are pretty much single use.
        Easy on the treats: pigs ears, straps, and chew sticks are good.
        Shop around vets, its amazing the difference between them (we use 3 different ones - depending on the issue as one is an avian specialist but not good with dogs, one is close by, and the other is a country vet used to working with working dogs).

        • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 14:01
          +1

          blackhawk is still under the best dry food, i just got 2.5kg of offcut and bones from the butcher for 2.5 dollars , the breeder had her on royal canine and i was the one switched to blackhawk, my puppy only eats half the recommanded amount of dry food i fill in the rest with fresh mince and rice and vegies

  • Janko on 02/03/2016 - 00:43

    What I used to do (when I had a dog):
    * paid $10 for a script from the vet and bought meds from the Animal Pharmacy instead. Saved a lot in the later years as my dog was on constant anti-inflammatories etc (saved about 50-70% off the vet price). Premium kibble was a lot cheaper there too.
    * got dog meat from the local poultry wholesaler (who also sold to the public). Chicken mince was $1/kg, premium beef offcuts $4/kg.
    * I don't believe in insurance for anything that won't put me in the gutter, so didn't bother with pet insurance.
    * Treats - tended to wait until Coles/Woolies halved the price on large Schmackos.
    * Toys - Charity stores usually have soft kids toys for $1 or so.

    • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 08:55

      thanks for the tip on toys, for insurance i'm thinking just move it down to accidental illness cover(24/month from memory) but I will wait till my puppy is around 6 months old so I can do DNA test and Hip and Elbow score.

      • bugman on 02/03/2016 - 10:21

        Not sure if your puppy is a rescue, but If you got your puppy from reputable breeder, you should have got a HIP and Elbow score as part of the documents when you picked him/her up. Hip and elbow scores are general done before 12 weeks, due to the fact that the major risk is when the puppy has rapid growth from 0-6 months, particularly in larger dogs and certain breeds such as German shepherds, retrievers have a higher risk. So if you are going to wait to get hip scores at 6 months, it probably not worth it.

        BTW Not sure about Aussie Sheppard's risk profile.

        • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 10:29

          i have the score for the parents, you can not hip elbow score a puppy unless you put them under anaesthetic in order for the xray to be taken. My vet suggest to get it done while she is getting desexed.

        • bugman on 02/03/2016 - 13:13

          @omegakyo:

          Ok, I think it must depend on the breeder, when we got our puppy we got the parents scores as well. But they where also looking to see scores for future breeding as he is not a common breed. Just be careful with over feeding at this is the biggest risk factor.

          I normally shake my head at people that don't get insurance for cars, houses ect but pet insurance is a whole other story. The number of ways they can get out of paying a claim is a joke just not worth it.

        • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 14:04

          @bugman: yeah i pretty much read all the story from all the different companies, I insured my puppy on the day i picked her up and had my vet checked her on the day also the breeder checked her with a different vet before i picked her up. So im trying to eliminate all the possibilities that they won't pay out

        • josaya on 03/03/2016 - 12:30

          @bugman:
          Kennel cough, pre-existing issues not covered, but our first puppy (top 3 breeders for her breed in AU) was very accident\mystery illness prone, think we got close to 10k in bills (all covered) in her first two years. Without insurance it may have been a choice of putting her down or taking a personal loan.

      • sagrules on 02/03/2016 - 10:22
        +1

        Read the RSPCA facebook page for comments from other owners who use this insurance and you will get a real idea if its worth keeping. Sometimes its cheaper to just have a savings account to deposit that amount and use it for emergencies.

        • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 10:33

          I have literally researched all the pet insurance from australia, all pet insurance policies are originated from Holland Groups and all companies have bad reviews and stories. My puppy is insured on the day I picked her up with vet checked from the breeder previouslt and vet check from my vet on the day.

    • jnewau on 02/03/2016 - 10:19
      +1

      If you want a good toy that is cheap and almost indestructible, get a rubber toilet seal.
      My boy (a big male lab) destroys every toy he's ever had within a day, except for this rubber ring. It's stretchy so you can tug of war with them, and it's very chewy so keeps him occupied for ages. He's still trying to destroy it years after I gave it to him.

      • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 10:34

        ok cool, thanks i will try and im just happen to renovate a bath now

      • harkoliar on 02/03/2016 - 15:45

        Even Kong brand doesn't last with your dogs?

        I find them pretty sturdy but I only have a small dog.

        • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 21:29

          my puppy doesnt really play it much, i think i may be stuffing it wrong

  • QuickToThePointless on 02/03/2016 - 01:07
    +4

    treats - $40 (monthly, flatulates due to whatever is on special)

    You should avoid the specials then - try charcoal biscuits to reduce gastric distress

    • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 08:56

      lol, i will. thanks

    • hsk on 10/03/2016 - 14:36

      where would be the best place to get these online?

  • QuickToThePointless on 02/03/2016 - 01:12

    All your dog needs is dry biscuits and kangaroo meat and water - get some treat when on special and cut them in half to make them last twice as long, doggy wont care as they just inhale them anyway

    Get stuffed kids toys from the op shop - be sure to remove any batteries and electrical circuits though - you can get a big bag for $5 which will last months

    As said above - if you need pharmaceuticals look at online wholesalers - some US sites work out cheaper than local

    • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 09:11

      thanks for the tip

    • Janko on 02/03/2016 - 09:28

      Just beware that ordering pet meds from overseas may get them seized in customs, as importation is generally not allowed.

      Acquiring Verterinary Medicines Online

      • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 09:36

        Thanks, i will do some research

    • sagrules on 02/03/2016 - 10:25

      I have a kitten and I get Pet barn to price match the flea treatment from other stores, could work out cheaper than shipping from US, but I'm not sure.

      • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 10:42

        do you mean in store?? i use revolution for my rabbit and i get mine from budgetpetproducts.com.au I get 6 packs therefore it only cost me like 10 dollars a month, my rabbit is free range indoor so i only used 2 out 6 that i brought last year .

        • sagrules on 02/03/2016 - 11:23

          Yes you get the online price of another store print out the page, bring it to the physical store (if there is one close to you) and they match it on the spot. It is particularly helpful if you can't wait for shipping.

        • QuickToThePointless on 02/03/2016 - 13:11
          +2

          my rabbit is free range

          This is usually a term for meat/poultry for human consumption - you dont plan to eat your pets do you?

        • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 14:05

          @pointless comment: no, he just runs around the house all day

    • dogboy on 03/03/2016 - 14:24

      Kangaroo meat prices have doubled over the last few years unfortunately. Used to be $5/kg but now $10/kg.

  • GameChanger on 02/03/2016 - 01:16
    +6

    Pet insurance $150 a MONTH? I don't think people even insure themselves like that.

    • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 08:56
      -1

      True, I dont insurance myself. well technically $50, the other 100 goes into a saving account.

      • GameChanger on 02/03/2016 - 21:51

        Any chance you could adopt me? That puppy is really lucky :)

        • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 21:51

          sure, im expecting u to work a full time job and pay rent :)

  • Randxyz123 on 02/03/2016 - 01:22
    +3

    Basically the same as you. Look for coupons, deals etc on here. You are doing pretty well to have a puppy and a rabbit as a Uni student

    $20 on toys per month? Is he/she destroying them quickly? Kong has fluffless toys that you can purchase. They are well worth the extra cost!! (Also not arriving home from Uni/work to discover your back yard is white because your puppy got bored)

    What bread do you have?

    Otherwise it seems you are doing well in terms of costs.

    It seems some of the other people who have replied don't know how bad schmackos are for dogs

    Toys from OP-shops are normally not strong enough to withstand a puppy's determination to rip it open.

    As for pet insurance tell me it isn't necessary when you get a $7000 vet bill when your dog gets sick.

    • Geewhizz on 02/03/2016 - 06:52

      < seems some of the other people who have replied don't know how bad schmackos are for dogs

      Are they? Bugger! I'd better go back to drying liver etc.

      • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 08:59

        are they? my vet given the okay for then and so did the breeder(very pro, puppy's dad is a Supreme Champion). I feed my puppy probably only 1 strip per day, broken down to pea size bits split between morning and afternoons.

        • Randxyz123 on 02/03/2016 - 12:07

          are they? my vet given the okay for then and so did the breeder(very pro, puppy's dad is a Supreme Champion). I feed my puppy probably only 1 strip per day, broken down to pea size bits split between morning and afternoons.

          Vet's all have different opinions. I think that they are mass produced and not as good as dried chicken. That is also what my vet told me but then again they are cheap when on sale and excellent for training rewards. The amount you are feeding your puppy is fine. Just keep doing what you're doing!!

          Just do what your vet has advised.

    • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 09:13

      Aussie shepherd, my puppy doesn't destroy toys that fast but she just doesnt like they for very long, so far her favourite were my old Haviana thongs and a plastic bottle.

  • Geewhizz on 02/03/2016 - 07:00
    +2

    Dry food, Blackhawk - $91 (20kg monthly)

    That's not a puppy, that's a horse. lol

    self-manage insurance -$100 (monthly)

    Is that a rainy-day account to cover you for what the RSPCA insurance doesn't? If not, it possibly could be.

    • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 09:06

      it was based on the back of the bag for her weight once she is full grown :). she is an Aussie shepherd.
      the self manage insurance is just a saving account for emergencies.

      • babecake on 02/03/2016 - 19:21
        +1

        I would change insurance. i'm with bowowmeow. Cheap and easy to deal with.

      • stratbargain on 03/03/2016 - 05:14
        +1

        From memory Blackhawk is 200grams a day for a 20KG dog. So a 20KG bag should last 3.3 months, not 1 month.

    • boomramada on 03/03/2016 - 15:08

      In accounting term, "self-manage insurance" its not a expense till its occur. Since you not paying anyone, sitting on your bank;
      So your Total = approx $220 per month :)

  • ChrisLevo on 02/03/2016 - 07:32

    Stop giving treats, and your puppy will stop flatulating :-)

    • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 09:07

      lol, the treats are used for training 95% of the time

      • timetoquit on 02/03/2016 - 19:13
        +1

        Couldn't possibly go through 20kg in a month! My husky is 14 years old, a little over weight at 30kg, and goes through maybe 15kg of food in 3/ 4 months!

        • theHMASfriendship on 03/03/2016 - 15:02

          Our German Shepherd does, he's 50kg though…

  • ihbh on 02/03/2016 - 07:47

    Swap puppy for second rabbit. :-)

    • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 09:00

      thought about it, my puppy can swap 45 rabbits

  • voiletmay on 02/03/2016 - 08:26
    +1

    $20 a month for toys makes me laugh. I take my dog on a long walk each morning (2.5 hours) and occasionally evenings. I find so many balls and dog toys, that I certainly will never have to buy any dog toy every again.

    Strangely I've discovered (plus other people I know who walk their dogs have discovered this too) the best balls for dogs are found, not bought. It's because the 'best' balls are practice golf balls (for a small dog - yellow) or practice cricket balls (bigger dog - red). The type that are the best because dogs can't eat or destroy them but they are soft. Schools seem to get these balls through education supplies, and these balls seem to turn up all over my local area despite the fact that you can't buy them in shops. I think kids find them in the school grounds and drop them all over the place.

    So take your dog for walks around where people play ball games (where I live there is a huge cricket club, with three schools around it, tennis courts, netball courts) - and you'll never have to buy a dog toy again.

    • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 09:04

      I can't walk just yet due she only had 2 vaccine but i will thanks. another question how do you found the time for 2.5 walk every morning??. I am a uni student, part time worker at two different jobs and social gathering. Currently I play with her in the yard for 0.5 hour once in morning before i go and once in the afternoon.

      • voiletmay on 02/03/2016 - 09:16

        I walk at 4am, that is why I have time, I'm an early bird. But it is hard, and you definitely can't walk her until she has had all her shots.

        Goodluck with your puppy!!

        • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 09:21

          thanks for advice

      • cst on 05/03/2016 - 02:23

        You can, and should walk her now. The prime time for socialising is now. The risk to her health is minimal and is far outweighed by the need to socialise. https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-advice/socialising-puppies-…

        • omegakyo on 05/03/2016 - 13:31
          +1

          she goes to puppy school where she plays around with eight different dogs, by the time the puppy school finish she should have her full vaccine, also i get alot of visitors almost someone new everyday

  • Adz81 on 02/03/2016 - 08:39
    +2

    Even not knowing the breed, that seems to be like a LOT to be spending on the pup's food… I have a fully grown lab (7 years old, 29ish kilos) and I make her food (I've ran the general recipe past my vet, and she's confident it meets dietary needs) and even with treats (usually something a each day) her food bill wouldn't be that high. I mean, I don't feed her huge portions (there's nothing good about an overweight dog, and labs will eat as much as you let them), but she's happy (and eats better than some humans).

    • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 09:04

      any chance you can share some recipes?? :)

      • Adz81 on 03/03/2016 - 08:18
        +2

        For a week, I make up a batch and portion it into those round takeaway containers (like Chinese restaurants use for soup):
        1.5-1.8kg meat (for instance, the last batch I made had 600g turkey mince, 500g beef mince & 600g pork mince— but I'll grab steak if that's on special)
        2 carrots
        2 sweet potatoes
        1 head broccoli
        1 handful green beans (switch the veggies up according to what's on special, but make sure that the vegetables are safe for dogs— DO NOT FEED DOGS ANY GARLIC/ONIONS)
        6 eggs
        7 fish oil capsules
        1.5 cups of brown rice
        2-3 cups of water

        I cook the rice and vegetables together (in a boiling/absorption method), then stir in fish oil capsules and eggs, finally stir the cooked mince through and ensure that it's all well combined and portion it into the containers (the above will fill 7-9 containers), and I give her a container in the morning, with some treats or a small handful of kibble at night.

        It usually takes me an hour or so preparation time for the week, I know exactly what my dog is eating (for the most part) and she loves it (although, she is a lab- they eat everything), and the vet is happy with it (the vets comment on the above was to scratch my dog's chin, and tell her that she had, "Landed in the gravy.")

    • colson on 02/03/2016 - 12:17
      +1

      +1 for running recipes past the vet. Too many obese but malnourished dogs because people feed their dogs stupid things.

  • BanannaMan on 02/03/2016 - 09:37

    What i am doing for puppy:

    1. treats - $40 (monthly, flatulates due to whatever is on special)
    2. toys - $20 (monthly)
    3. grooming - $40 (last about 12 months)

    a) Go with Natural organic treats, dogs love them and are tiny so save yourself some money (probably about $21 a month for 3 packets)
    b) Go for longer lasting toys that they can chew for hours
    c) Do the grooming yourself and use this money to invest into training for the puppy, this is by far the best money I have spent on my 2 dogs & a lifetime of rewards

    PS: what puppy do you have?

    • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 09:54

      Aussie shepherd. 14 weeks:)
      a) yes i will try, i only being suing savourlife brand with her due to the fact that company give 50% profit to other rescue groups.
      b) she doesnt really destroy toys, more like lost interest so I am just trying to switch it up and rotate around.
      c) sorry by grooming i meant dog shampoo, and odour control stuffs

      • BanannaMan on 02/03/2016 - 10:26

        Ah good pick in breed! I have a golden retriever, so I can relate to the grooming part

        b) Your breed in dog is highly intelligent, easy to train and needs a lot of exercise (loads of energy) probably why they are getting bored of the toys. I'm assuming this is your first dog, make sure you send to puppy school to socialise and learn best practice training habits. Was a great lesson for me too how to raise the dog right.
        c) Ahh right, you need to wash a puppy quite a bit as they love to run around so i get it

        • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 10:37
          +1

          week 3 in puppy school now, monthly obedience class after full vaccinations. it really weird how her favourite toys right now is my old thongs and a old plastic bottle.

        • Randxyz123 on 02/03/2016 - 16:24
          +1

          I have a golden retriever, so I can relate to the grooming part

          Me too.

          I recommend getting a furminator for brushing her. It gets rid of some of the loose hair

          Good luck with your puppy mine is almost 2 now so I'm happy to answer any questions if you need help.

          One thing I'd say is that socialising with other dogs is so so so important. The dog school I went to was very focused on your dog can't go near other dogs, can't look at other dogs etc etc) I don't think that is necessarily the correct approach. So make friends with your fellow class mates, find a enclosed dog park and let them go crazy.

        • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 21:30

          @knick007: furminator is so expensive but

        • omegakyo on 03/03/2016 - 09:14

          @Peannut: ok kool cheers, thats heaps cheaper. i currently have de shredder , rake and brush all from catchoftheday on special(around $7 each) and my puppy is using my old rabbit brush.

      • BanannaMan on 02/03/2016 - 10:27

        FYI I use this shampoo
        https://www.petfoodsdelivered.com.au/cha-oolong-tea-beauty-b…

        Came recommended by a groomer thats gone through all the pet shampoo, this has a great smell and lasts me for about 6-8 months

        • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 10:39

          ok kool, i actually washed her for the very first time yesterday and she did not like it haha. and base on how much shampoo i've used, my current bottle can probaly last until next year this time.

          Thanks i bookmarked that shampoo

      • colson on 02/03/2016 - 12:19

        Try just having 2-3 toys available at a time, and swap them out every day or two.

        • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 14:06

          yeap will do, thanks

      • josaya on 03/03/2016 - 13:29

        Good bread the aussies, family friends have one that is known for stealing the roast chicken ;)
        a) Home made baked liver biscuits, about $15 lasts us enough for training a medium and giant dog for a month. Google: dog liver biscuits recipe and tailor as needed.
        b) We found rotating toys is a great way to spark interest. Keep away all their toys at night, then give them one in the morning (eventually they put it back in the box for you!). Our German has a weird fetish for anything that can be dismantled like pop up sprinklers and puzzle boxes without actually damaging them. There's no reward in him doing these, but does them anyway.
        c) You'll find this cost goes down once they hit about 3-4 months of age. You could bring her to the beach to swim every so often (we do ours once a week) which acts as a natural wash\conditioner and play time. May not work if you\yours hates the water though, as they pick up owner traits quite well.

  • kolorijo on 02/03/2016 - 09:59
    +1

    Hi, I got a couple of guinea pigs and I am really interested in your bedding setup. I noticed that you bought:

    • breeder's choice recycled paper -$23 (last minimal 6 months) and
      bale of hay from local produce - $24 (last minimal 6 month)

    Do you have separate spots for bedding and litter? Or you laid the recycled paper then the hay on top of it throughout the cage?

    Thank you

  • captobvious on 02/03/2016 - 11:19

    Simple solution for you. When the puppy is a dog. Feed Rabbit to Dog. That will save you on feeding a rabbit and will feed your dog for a couple days.
    Big future ongoing savings

    • StewBalls on 02/03/2016 - 13:16
      +3

      C'mon guys, be honest, we were all thinking the same thing.

      • captobvious on 02/03/2016 - 14:15

        OK OK
        Feed Dog to Rabbit. Rabbit eats less than a dog hands down. Dog meat to rabbit will last at least 2 weeks. The rabbit will have less ongoing cost than a dog by far.
        Win win.

        • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 14:20

          or i can feed u to my dog should last at least a week

        • captobvious on 02/03/2016 - 14:22
          -1

          @omegakyo: I'd rather eat your dog and rabbit and do you a favor. While you watch

        • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 14:25

          @captobvious: ok come over

        • captobvious on 02/03/2016 - 14:28
          -1

          @omegakyo: nice! :) I'll bring the wine. With this fairly mild-flavored meat, try an Italian Chianti, a light red Burgundy or a good Beaujolais from France. For the classic rabbit in mustard sauce, you might like to try a white, such as a Pinot Gris from Oregon or a grassy Sauvignon Blanc from California.

        • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 14:34

          @captobvious: sure meet me here,Nagari Rd, Woy Woy NSW 2256

  • [Deactivated] on 02/03/2016 - 12:37

    I buy prescription medications and anti-fleas/worms/etc from Petceutics/The Animal Pharmacy (same mob) with script from vet when needed. Go to Greencross vets with Healthy Pets Plus plan as not eligible for pet insurance but I get 100% off unlimited consultations anyway and 24 hour emergency vet consults covered also

    • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 14:11

      how much is the healthy pets plus thing? my local greencross vets is bit far away from where i live

    • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 14:20

      just had a read, the green vet plane doesnt cover any treatments but only consultation, i got the pet insurance pretty much only for accidental covers which covers expensive treatments

  • mowgli on 02/03/2016 - 12:40

    Maybe consider the Bones and Raw Food diet, its what my vet and breeder both recommended. Its meant to be raw meaty bones - mine has mostly raw chicken wings (shes a small dog, under 10kg) and vegetables/fruits.
    It ended up being cheaper than buying only premium dog food and our vet said its better for her too. We still feed her some Taste of the Wild if were travelling or have run out etc

    I'd recommend checking with your vet first!

    • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 14:08

      i normally only give her half of the recommanded feeding amount and fill up the rest with bones/mince and rice :)

  • bl1027 on 02/03/2016 - 13:16
    +2

    My puppy gets bored of his toys within 10 minutes too so now I just give him empty plastic bottles with holes cut on the sides or cardboard boxes with treats hidden inside. Its basically rubbish but to puppy, its an awesome new toy everyday.

    This isn't a toy but does keep puppy occupied for ages and is lots of fun: chuck his kibble around the yard for him to search. Also slows down eating which helps with digestion.

    Look up deer antler chews - they're pricey but last ages and are natural.

    • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 14:10

      thanks for the advice, well try your plastic bottle idea very soon

    • ChickenTalon on 02/03/2016 - 16:09
      +1

      seconding this, but with a caveat.

      Have had a Beaglier and a Lab X Collie from very young. Toys are usually items that are due to be thrown out, PET bottles are the best (you can even place a little dry food in them), but you've gotta be careful with the training. Both dogs had a bucket. They knew they could only take items that were given to them by placing it in the bucket.

      If you don't do this you're asking for trouble as they go on the hunt for things to play with around the house. Both dogs never chewed anything that wasn't given to them via the bucket.

      • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 21:31

        mine is 99% outdoors, but i will try the bucket thing

  • Tigi on 02/03/2016 - 14:02

    You probably know this since it sounds like you have done a lot of research. Best hay for adult rabbit is grass-based, instead of lucerne (too nutritious for adults) or straw (too bland - think of cardboards). I use horse grade oaten hay, purchased by the bale let me know if you want the seller's address in NSW.

    In the long run good quality hay will save you on vet bills- prevents gut stasis, highly mortal in rabbits.

    • omegakyo on 02/03/2016 - 14:10

      oaten hay for my bunny:) too. i got mine from the local produce which i think its for horse too :)

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